


Innocent

by Rainbow_Transform



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Different things, Gen, Series of Oneshots, don't know why, oh well, still don't know how to tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2019-02-01 05:06:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12697959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbow_Transform/pseuds/Rainbow_Transform
Summary: A series of oneshots with Spencer. Alternate Universes, cannon divergences.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! Enjoy the Criminal Minds story!

They find the Unsub outside a gas station. He’s just sitting there, eating peanuts and humming quietly to himself. He stares, uninterested and detached from reality as he looks on. Morgan pulls his gun out, and the rest of the team follows.

 

“Put your hands up!” Morgan barks, and the Unsub’s eyes catch on Morgan’s. “You are under arrest!” The Unsub seems calm, as he gets out of the car. The packet of peanuts are still in his hands. He is quiet for a moment, before sighing.

 

“You’re persistent,” he says before setting down the peanuts and putting up his hands. Emily immediately shoves him against the car and cuffs him. They lead him away, reading his rights.

* * *

 

They’re watching him as he watches the mirror. He’s sitting on top of the table, criss-cross style. The hand that is cuffed to the table is behind him, and it  _ has  _ to be hurting him but he’s just sitting there. His hazel eyes are wide and patient. 

 

It’s Rossi who realized this Unsub will wait them out - before they can wait out him.

They decide to send JJ and Emily into the room. Them, together, seem to make him very uncomfortable. JJ watches Emily as she paces the floor next to the Unsub. 

 

“Why’d you do it?” Emily asks suddenly. “Why, in the world, would you start this?” 

 

The Unsub’s eyes narrow and his lips purse. “Henry said it was time.” He said.

 

“Henry?” JJ asks.

 

The Unsub’s eyes flick to the right, to the mirror, and then to the left, where the door is. He looks behind him, and seems to search for something. 

 

He beckons JJ over, and leans down to whisper “Henry doesn’t like it when we talk about him when he’s not here.”

 

“Where is he, now?” Emily asks. 

 

The Unsub’s eyes widen and he swallows, hard. He throws his head back, and lays down on the table. His eyes flicker to the mirror again and he swallows. 

 

“JJ,” he says suddenly. “JJ has a son named Henry, doesn’t she?” He sits upward, and stares at JJ. “Don’t you?” He persists. 

 

JJ doesn’t answer. Emily slams her fist down on the table, and the Unsub jumps. He stares at Emily. 

 

JJ’s eyes widen. The unsub leans back against the table. “Emily ‘die-”

 

Emily’s face fell slack, and she flew out of the room. The door slammed behind her and the Unsub started. “I think I hit a nerve.” He said quietly. JJ’s hand raised, and moved forward just a half-inch before she, too, walked out of the room. The unsub just tilted his head, like a puppy, before beginning to hum again.

* * *

 

_ The air smells like fish. He feels like gagging. But he doesn’t. Instead, the person sitting in front of him tells him what it is. Fish hearts. Keeps out the demons. _

 

_ He sees the camera sitting behind the walls and three computers behind a desk. He doesn’t want to see anything. He closes his eyes, and think of different times. _

* * *

 

“Why does he keep looking at the mirror?” JJ asks. Hotch’s eyes narrow.

 

“It seems like he’s waiting for someone - or some _ thing _ .” Rossi says. He blinks, narrowing his eyes at the Unsub. 

 

“Let’s go, Hotch. Me and you.”

* * *

 

He stares at the two men who come in. Brown hair flops downward. He seems to shrink into himself. 

 

“He isn’t comfortable around Alpha males.” Morgan notes. The others nod.

 

“Well, that’s why he killed those boys, right? And those girls?” JJ says and the others look at each other.

 

“I mean, yeah,” Emily says. The others frown.

* * *

 

Hotch comes out of the room, ashen-faced and Rossi follows just a few short steps behind. “Hotch-” Rossi begins and Hotch cuts him off. 

 

“He talked about Haley. How could he know?”

 

“The internet!” 

 

“Okay, how’d he know your wife committed suicide?”

 

“The news.”

 

“Rossi. He talked about her disease;  _ and  _ how did he know you’re divorce vows?  _ I  _ didn’t even know you had divorce vows.”

 

Rossi’s lips pursed. “Hotch, you can’t let him get under your skin.”

 

“I want to know  _ how _ he knows.”

 

“Fine,” Rossi says. “Find Garcia.”

 

Morgan’s eyes snap toward Hotch’s. “If he knows all of your guys’ stories, what’s to say he doesn’t know Garcia’s? Or mine?”

 

“Yours has been expunged. Garcia’s was never put out,” Hotch explained calmly. “If he found  _ anything _ then it’s either on paper or computer. Garcia has been keeping track of everything, quietly, and she already recalled many papers on things that you’d done.” Hotch sighs. 

 

“Let’s get her.” Rossi rubs his eyes.

* * *

 

The Unsub is actually sitting in the chair now, and Garcia and Derek walk in. 

 

“Hey,” Garcia says. The unsub’s mouth turns up slightly. “Want some water?” She asks, holding out a cup. The unsub accepts it, and stares into the liquid. 

 

He takes a tiny, tiny sip. Morgan watches him quietly. The unsub doesn’t look happy with the liquid. “Just water?” He asks, then smiles again. 

 

“I’m being demanding. Sorry.” He takes another, tiny sip. “What do you guys want?” He blinks his large, hazel eyes again and his hair flops in his face. 

 

Morgan pulls out a few crime scene photos. He shows them to the unsub. He blinks, tilts his head again, and just sighs. Leaning back, he takes another sip of water before setting it down. 

 

“It’s bloody,” he says.

 

“It’s your work.”

 

“Nope.”

 

“Aren’t you proud?”

 

“It’s not my work.”

 

“Liar.”

 

“I don’t lie.”

 

“You lied to me.”

 

“I didn’t.”

 

“You just did.”

 

“I think  _ you  _ are a liar.”

 

“We’re not talking about me.”

 

“How far did you have to dig?” His eyes turned to Garcia and she stammered.

 

“What?”

 

“How. Far. Did. You. Have. To. Dig?” He asked again, slowly.

 

“Very far,” she said softly. 

 

Morgan leaned back against the chair. “How far did you?” He questioned. 

 

The unsub blinked, looking over. “How far did I what?”

 

“Dig.”

 

“I didn’t.”

 

“You must’ve.”

 

“My mind supplied the answers.”

 

“You’re lying.”

 

The unsub’s eyes blinked. “My mind in complicated. Do you want brain scans? You can go search my apartment for them.”

 

“See, we’ve already done that.” Morgan leaned forward. “And the brain scan that you’ve got? They’ve all been forged.”

 

He frowned. “No. They haven’t.”

 

“You know the part where the brain separates reality from fantasy? It’s broken. Unconnected. You’re brain is gone. Done for.” 

 

The unsub narrows his eyes again. “My brain is fine,” he says. 

 

Morgan smiles. “No. You’re crazy.”

 

“I’m not.”

 

“You’ve gone mad.”

 

“I haven’t!”

 

“Just like…”

 

“Stop.”

 

“Diana Reid.”

 

Spencer Reid’s eyes lift and the corner of his mouth lifts up slightly before he suddenly screams, clasping his head into his hands. Garcia stumbles back, not expecting it. Morgan gets up quickly and turns to guide Garcia out.

 

“Garcia and Kevin, sittin’ in a tree,” Spencer sings out suddenly and Garcia stiffens. “Morgan tryin’ to fix the past.” Morgan’s eye twitched.

 

“Hotch doesn’t accept; Emily doesn’t trust; Rossi doesn’t let go; Morgan’s upset; JJ wants to go home; Will wants Henry to be happy; Henry wants JJ; Kevin wants Garcia; Garcia wants Kevin; Morgan wants the BAU; Hotch wants the BAU; Emily wants the BAU; Rossi wants the BAU; Garcia wants the BAU.”

 

Spencer frowned. “None of them need or want Spencer Reid.” He says quietly. 

 

“Oh.” Spencer says.

 

“ _ Oh _ ,” he repeats.

* * *

 

“What are we doing with him?” Morgan asks. 

 

“Send him to the mental institution.” Hotch replies. “He’s way too…”

 

“Crazy.” Emily said.

 

“To be in prison.”

* * *

 

Spencer goes quietly. He doesn’t make a scene; or scream. He just sits there and hums quietly. The BAU visits him time to time, tries to get him to speak with them. To tell them how he’d managed to kill those victims. Spencer doesn’t answer, except saying: “They don’t need you in this Universe. If they don’t need me, why am I here?” And he’s fiddling with a Rubix cube.

 

Morgan took it from him, once, and he blinked. “Four minutes, ten seconds, five point one millisecond.” 

 

“What?”

 

“That’s how long it took me the last time.” Spencer says and then Morgan gives it back.

 

They stop visiting him. They talk about it every couple of days. Why did they go? Because of Spencer’s hazel eyes? Because of his baby-like expression? Because it suddenly felt  _ wrong _ when Spencer went away? Why? When did the kid worm his way into their hearts? And  _ how _ ?

 

Spencer doesn’t write to them - not anymore. Maybe it’s for the best.

* * *

 

_ Dear BAU Team, _

_ This is my last letter. Don’t ask. I have to go away for a while. I don’t think I’m going to come back. I’ve… done a lot. But I’m going to tell you something: I didn’t kill those people. I didn’t. Orion Le Guiel did. But he’s gone now. Dead.  _

_ No I didn’t kill him. He overdosed on drugs. Too little, too late, right? Anyway, I’m going to stop writing now. It’s almost time for me to go.  _

_ See you in another place, _

_ Spencer Reid _

* * *

 

Spencer takes one more look at the place he’d called home for so many days. 

 

_ “It’s time to go now.”  _ The Universe says.

 

“Just a few more minutes?”

 

_ “Spencer.” _

 

“I know.” 

 

Spencer places six finished Rubix cubes on the desk. There’s a seventh one, hidden away, not finished. If they bother searching for it, maybe they’d finish it. Then, Spencer would know it’s time for him to go back. But right here - right now - the BAU team works well. They don’t need a seventh member; and Spencer’s happy to keep going with the plans.

 

_ “Come.”  _ The Universe beckons him, quickly, and opens a small portal. Spencer steps through, his eyes closed and fingers lax on his messenger bag. He doesn’t know where he’ll end up. Maybe in an universe where they actually  _ need  _ Spencer. He doesn’t open his eyes for a long time, and when he does, he’s still falling.

They find the unfinished cube in the air ducts. Who knows how it ended up in there. But they find it, and they try to finish it. But it’s impossible. The colors change; and the Cube itself rotates by itself like it’s built for something else.

 

The closer they got to the finish, the more the Cube seemed to stop. But the next day, the cube would be back at its original condition. It’s something they try to do on days off; or when there isn’t any cases. Try to fix the Cube.

 

Then they retire.

* * *

 

The Cube is still there. Derek, Emily, Rossi, Hotch, Garcia, and JJ all moves on and retired. Grew old and died. But, somewhere along the line, something happened. Something  _ wrong _ happened somewhere, and the “original” BAU team came back, just as they were before, only different now.

 

They are part of a show now. “Criminal Minds” is what they’re called. They finish the cube (somehow) and, before the first episode aired, they found Matthew (or Spencer). Emily and Rossi aren’t there for a while; they can’t be. They haven’t been hired yet. There’s still Gideon and Elle, and Spencer loves them because even though they haven’t stayed, they can’t. The Universe won’t allow it.

 

Spencer keeps their pictures in his wallet. He misses them sometimes. Misses Elle’s laugh and Gideon’s chess strategy. But he’s got the others now. (Though, he doesn’t think the Universe will be kind and leave them be. He knows one of them will leave, and another family member will take their place.)

 

He doesn’t tell them the truth. He can’t. He wishes he could but he can’t. Spencer hopes, beyond hope, he’ll have good memories from this place before he leaves. He thinks he would, but good memories sometimes fade over time.

 

Spencer will fight for his family. He will try to protect them as much as possible. Just until he has to leave - because then he’d have done what the Universe asked of him.


	2. Wonders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He tries to convey emotions toward his teammates. “Help me!” He all but screams at them. “Help me defeat this!” They don’t understand. They don’t help.

**I**

There’s only a short amount of time before Spencer realized  _ this won’t work _ . Sitting here, a needle in one hand, and staring at the needle marks on his arm. Spencer’s fingers shiver, and he’s swallowing hard.

 

_ (He tries to convey emotions toward his teammates. “Help me!” He all but screams at them. “Help me defeat this!” They don’t understand. They don’t help.) _

 

Spencer sets down the needle, and continues staring at the marks. He brushed his fingers over them. His eyes narrow and his heart speeds up. 

 

_ (“You know what you’re going to do,” Walter whispers. Spencer shakes. His team doesn’t realize it. Or maybe they do, and they just won’t help.) _

 

Spencer snaps. He grabs the needle, and finds a hammer. He places the needle down and begins to hit it, snapping it into tiny pieces. Spencer won’t… he  _ won’t do this anymore! _

 

_ (Spencer resigns himself to doing it himself. If they won’t help him - he will. Walter sits in the corner, staring. “We’re going places, you and me.” he said. “We’ll get through this together.” Spencer agrees.) _

* * *

 

**II**

 

It’s barely past eleven and Spencer can’t sleep. Emily isn’t with them anymore. She’s dead. Dead, dead, dead, dead.

 

_ (“Is she?” Walter whispers.) _

 

She died, and Spencer’s crying. He already cried more times than he can count on JJ’s couch, Henry sitting next to him, stroking his hair, saying “It’s okay, it’s okay,” in an attempt to calm him. Spencer just cried harder.

 

_ (“What was the way JJ looked at Hotch? And you, when you tried to go see her?” Walter hissed. “Spencer!”) _

 

Jack barely acknowledge when Spencer cried; he ignored it. Spencer thinks it’s because Jack didn’t want Spencer to know he’d seen him break, and scream, and yell. Jack is caring, just like Hotch.

 

_ (“Use that big brain of yours, Reid.” Water snarls. “Emily isn’t dead. Didn’t you see JJ and Hotch talking? You know it! REID!”) _

 

Spencer kept crying.

* * *

 

**III**

Spencer is pushing back the safety of his gun. Maeve’s gone, there’s no point in just sitting around here. Maybe he’s pushing himself too hard, but if he’d just been a little better - a little faster, Mareve wouldn’t have died.

 

_ (“You know that’s not true.” Walter snaps. “You’re just doing too much. Pick up that phone, dial Morgan, and  _ **_talk_ ** _ to him.” Spencer shakes his head.  _

 

_ “I can’t.” He sobs.  _

 

_ “Spencer,” Walter sits next to him. “Spence, you aren’t going to get any better without talk. Let’s just pick up the phone.”) _

 

Spencer’s eyes move to his cell phone that just vibrated. He opens the text message Morgan sent him, and it’s a picture. Spencer frowns, looking more closely.

 

_ (Water’s watching from the background. “You know why he’s doing it. You’re not stupid. Now, pick up the phone.”) _

 

Spencer picks up the phone, and dials the familiar number.

* * *

 

**IV**

_ (“I knew it,” Walter snarls as he stares at Emily. “Didn’t I tell you?) _

 

Spencer’s fists clench but he still hugs Emily. He’s not going to “get angry” now. He’s in too much shock to  _ actually _ be angry.

 

_ (“Spencer,” Walter says, and Spencer flicks his eyes toward him. “Make the call. Bring that son-of-a-bitch there,  _ _ then _ _ , let’s let the ball drop on all of them.” Spencer nods, jerkily.) _

 

He buried the hatred, and surprise, and anger underneath his feeling to catch the bad guy. He does his job, and he does it  _ right _ . 

 

_ (“Damn right we did!” Walter shouts. Spencer stares with glaringing eyes.) _

 

He doesn’t speak to Emily or JJ when they’re all going out. They’re trying to talk to everyone, like it’s a good thing being lied to. Being lied to, by friends.

 

_ (“Remember Sarah?” Walter asks, sitting at the edge of Spencer’s desk. “She said she was our friend, remember? Then she’d turned into  _ _ he _ _ , and called himself ‘Paul’ and left you in your locker. And what did he say after we’d confronted him? ‘They dared me to, Spencer,’” he mimicked. “‘I didn’t want to. If I didn’t they’d shove both of us in there.’” Walter sneered. “Are they Paul now, Spencer? Are they?”) _

 

Spencer sips at the black coffee.  _ Maybe _ , he says, tilting his head quietly. He just needs time to “heal”, then he’d go and be “friends” with them again. But he won’t trust them as easily - they won’t see his pain. He won’t let them see him vulnerable again.

 

_ (“We still trust Hotch. We didn’t go crying to his house every evening for ten weeks.” Walter says. Spencer agrees. “Emily and JJ…” Spencer agrees.) _

 

He doesn’t think he’s going to figure anything else out. Spencer drains the rest of the coffee, then pushes the cup away.

 

_ (“Are we going home?”) _

 

_ Yes. _

 

Spencer walks away.

* * *

 

**V**

_ (“He’s gone? Truly gone?” Walter asks, eyes wide and tears building.) _

 

Spencer swallows. He’s hurting all over. This isn’t fair. This isn’t fair. This isn’t fair. Gideon can’t be dead, he can’t he can’t he can’t he can’t.

 

_ (“Spencer?” Walter says. “Spencer? What’re we going to do?” Walter’s breathing picks up. “What’re we going to do?” He repeats.) _

 

Spencer shakes his head, slowly. He sits at the edge of his window; and then turns his head toward a cupboard. He walks to it, and opens it slowly. The chess pieces are dusty and the board looks cracked. Spencer brushes off the dust; and the crack disappears. 

 

_ (“That was just in your head.” Walter adds unhelpfully. Spencer nods. “Good.” Walter says.) _

 

Spencer places the pieces on the board, and Walter sits on the opposite side. Spencer moves a piece, and Walter relatiated.

 

_ (And, they sit together, in the BAU office. Spencer moving his pieces and Walter doing his. Just until Rossi comes up to him, tries to talk to him. Walter’s staring at Rossi like he’s never seen him before, and Spencer’s not sure if it’s because Rossi and Gideon worked together, or if he’d figured anything out.) _

 

_ (Rossi tells him to go home, then he walks out and away. Walter stares at Spencer, and asks him “Are we really leaving?” Spencer pours himself another cup of coffee, and they continue their game.) _

 

_ (Rossi comes up to Spencer at the plane. Tells him that playing with a ghost won’t work. The game’ll never end. Walter stays silent, and Spencer talks to Rossi. He sits down, and Walter’s next to Spencer suddenly. “I’ll probably beat you in five moves,” Spencer says.) _

 

_ (“Don’t be so sure.” Rossi says. They keep playing, and Walter is just slowly fading into the background. Spencer doesn’t look over. Walter smiles.) _

**Author's Note:**

> Basically: Spencer and the Universe have this thing going on. When some part of the universe BAU team doesn't have a Spencer Reid, she send Spencer in. Usually, it works out good but sometimes it doesn't. It sucks.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed the story!
> 
> ^.^ 
> 
> Until next time, my faithful readers!
> 
> (Come scream with me at my Tumblr @rainbowtransform)


End file.
